Harder to Breathe
by SpyMaster
Summary: Casefile. Emily Mason is snatched from Central Park. Old stuff being reuploaded. JS obviously
1. Chapter 1

**Rating:** PG-13

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Jack Malone, Samantha Spade, Vivian Johnson, Danny Taylor and Martin Fitgerald are not mine. Other characters are. Without a trace characters belong to CBS, Hank Steinberg and Jerry Bruckheimer. I am just borrowing them for a while and promise to give them back unharmed.

**Spoiler/Rating:** I'm not sure about the spoilers, I've seen up till the end of series 2 pretty much and haven't seen series 3. However I have heard spoilers and I'm not intending to give anything away but just because this may be going to way the writers are a full out spoiler warning is issued. As for the rating I think it's PG-13 but as it's intended to be just like an episode I wasn't sure.

**Author's Note:** This is the first casefile I ever wrote and only my second Without a Trace fanfiction. I took it off here because I wanted to rewrite it and use this casefile as the concluding part to my trilogy. However, I've had writers block like you wouldn't believe on it and so I've now decided to jack it in and write a new casefile which, touch wood, is going great. So apologies as you will recognise this. People who reviewed before, thankyou, and you don't have to review again. Anyway for new readers enjoy!

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**Harder to Breathe**

It's a beautiful sunny afternoon in New York Jack noticed when he stepped out of the solicitors office. Yesterday he wouldn't have appreciated a morning like this, because his life was so dark and dreary but today he could finally start putting that behind him. Part of him was sad that it had come to this, a bitter custody battle and an ongoing feud between him and Marie was not the way he'd hoped his marriage would end. The other part of him was glad that it was finally over, he'd still get to see Hanna and Kate, albeit not as much as he'd like. Marie insisted on staying in Chicago and since she had been afforded sole custody that's where the girls would stay too, he'd be a weekend dad like he'd tried so desperately hard not to be. Just then his cell phone rang distracting him from his thoughts.

"Malone," Jack answered.

"Jack. a kid was just snatched at central Park," Vivian reported, her tone of voice businesslike.

"Ok I'm on my way in right now," Jack told her, unlocking his car.

"Her name's Emily Mason, she's four years old. She was grabbed and forced into a black SUV. Her father tried to stop it, getting a broken nose and three cracked ribs in the process. He's a trauma surgeon at City Hospital in LA. The mother is a detective with the LAPD. They have two older twin sons, Tom and Andy," Vivian gave him the lowdown. Jack thought for a moment before he issued the orders.

"Viv you go and bring the parents in. Tell Martin and Danny to go see what the NYPD have got, and have Sam phone LA, we're going to need their cooperation." Jack ended the call and sighed. Tensions were running high at work what with him leaving and then coming back. Things were difficult especially with Vivian, she'd had the shot at his job, finally the supervisor position she'd always wanted, until he'd come back and taken it away.

_FBI Headquarters.  
2 hours missing_

Jack exited the elevator and headed immediately into the unit. He could see a man and a woman sitting at the conference table, a cup of coffee sitting in front of them looking cold and untouched. Vivian was at her desk talking to two eight year old twin boys and Sam was on the phone, she hang up when she saw him.

"The LA office is tasking a couple of agents to work this case from that end, they're going to concentrate on the grudge angle," Sam told him.

"You interviewed the parents yet?" Jack asked, Sam shook her head.

"Vivian thought that you'd like to do it, she's interviewing their sons." Jack nodded,

"Sit in will you," he ordered her before he walked over to the conference table extending his hand. "Special Agent Jack Malone, I'm in charge of this investigation. Could you tell me what happened please?" Jack asked flipping open his notebook.

"Well, we're here on vacation. You see I'm originally from New York, I wanted to show Tom and Andy exactly how much better the Yankees are than the Dodgers. We were just walking in Central Park, we'd been to see the sights this morning and were just, killing time I guess before we went to the game tonight. Andy and Tom were chasing each other and Emily had an ice cream," Sean Mason began.

_Flashback Central Park_

"Dad Andy stole my yo-yo," Tom complained.

"Only because he stole mine first," Andy retorted. Sean smiled and turned to face his sons, he had to sort out this dispute before it escalated. Aimee smiled too and turned to watch how Sean would handle this one, Tom and Andy were always fighting like this, probably because they were so close. Unnoticed Emily continued walking, happily slurping her ice cream.

"What did we say about stealing each others things?" Sean asked smiling a little still, Tom and Andy shifted a little looking at each other warily. Before either of them could reply a terrified scream rang through the air. Sean turned and saw that a man dressed all in back and wearing a balaclava was dragging Emily off towards a car.

"Emily!" Sean yelled and sprinted after her catching up with them in no time. Sean punched the man and tried to pull Emily away from him. Another man dressed the same as the first got out of the car, Sean didn't notice him struggling as he was with the first man. The second man pulled Sean off his comrade and punched him hard, dazed Sean started forward again but the second man kicked him hard in the chest winding him. Sean fell to the ground gasping for air, Aimee seeing him on the ground runs towards him reaching for her gun before remembering again that she didn't have it with her. She reaches Sean just as Emily is thrown into the car, it starts accelerating away before the door is closed. As it reaches the crest of the hill it vanishes.

_End Flashback_

"What I don't get it why nobody helped us," Sean finished.

"It happened very fast Sean, too fast for me and I'm meant to be a cop." Aimee laid her hand on top of her husbands. Sam could tell without seeing her face that she blamed herself. Just then the phone rang Sam leant over to answer it.

"Can you think of anybody, anybody at all, that might have a grudge against you?" Jack asked.

"I'm a cop, so anybody I've put away I guess," Aimee replied looking at the table, she couldn't meet Jack's eye, she couldn't meet anybody's eye, she blamed herself for this whole thing.

"I can't think of anybody," Sean said defensively, Jack frowned, he could just be angry with himself about losing the fight for his daughter, or he could be lying. Sam interrupted him thinking about it further.

"That was the Danny, they've found the car."


	2. Chapter 2

_Area of Queens.  
2 hours missing_

Danny looked at the burnt twisted remains of what two hours ago had been a new and expensive SUV. It had been reported stolen last night in Philadelphia, been used as the getaway car in Central Park two hours ago and had been found torched and abandoned twenty minutes ago in this alley, right about the same time that witness told them the licence plate number.

"You think anybody's in there?" Martin asked hesitantly, the fire investigators and the SOC team had just arrived. They were to wait here until they'd completed their preliminary inspection.

"I hope not," Danny replied, he knew why Martin had asked, he thought he could smell it too, the scent of charred flesh. They were probably just imagining it, they'd just finished a case where the man they were looking for was found a burnt corpse.

"Why here?" Martin asked suddenly, "Why dump the car here. We're in the middle of a built up neighbourhood, why not wait until they're out of the city to ditch the car?"

"I don't know, perhaps they figured someone would have seen the licence plate, they didn't want to risk it," Danny reasoned.

"Perhaps. How would they go from here though? They have a scared four year old girl, they can't exactly just hail a cab or jump on the subway," Martin pointed out.

"They could have had a car stashed here," Danny speculated. "If they did perhaps one of the residents here saw something."

"It's worth a shot," Martin said sadly, they were clutching at straws, until the results came back from SOC or LA got back to them with news about a possible grudge they had nothing to go on.

_FBI Headquarters.  
3 hours missing_

"Yeah . . yeah I got that . . thanks for letting us know so fast." Jack hung up and tried not to look as discouraged as he felt. That had been the SOC team, their preliminary examination of the car revealed nothing. Whoever was behind this knew what they were doing. If they didn't get a lead soon because if they didn't, Emily Mason was gone. Jack walked out of his office and headed over to Sam's desk. "LA got anything yet?" Sam shook her head.

"They said they'd call me the minute anything came up," Sam told him. "She's not gone yet Jack, it's only been a few hours."

"I know. Call LA, say we're pretty desperate down here, for anything." Sam nodded and turned to pick up the phone, Jack headed over to the conference table where the Mason's sat. The two boys, Tom and Andy looked bored, but they were too young to understand what was going on, for some reason that thought made Jack happier, perhaps knowing that in some places of the world there was still innocence.

"Jack," Sam called, Jack turned and headed back. "They've uncovered one possibility. Five months ago Dr Mason operated on a five year old girl, Catherine Preston, she'd been in a car accident, it was bad and she didn't make it. Her dad, Tony Preston, blamed Dr Mason for his daughters death." Jack nodded and headed back over to the conference table.

"Does the name Tony Preston mean anything to you Dr Mason?" Jack asked, Sean thought for a moment.

"Yeah the name does ring a bell. Hang on let me think for a minute. Oh yeah I operated on his daughter Catherine, she didn't make it. When I told him he got pretty abusive."

_Flashback City Hospital_

"Mr Preston?" Sean asked, coming into the waiting room in scrubs, a stethoscope hung casually around his neck. Mr Preston looked up instantly.

"Talk to me doc," Tony said, Sean sat down in the chair opposite Tony Preston, as many times as he'd had to do this it didn't get any easier.

"I'm sorry Mr Preston, Catherine didn't make it through surgery. There was extensive internal bleeding, there was nothing anybody could have done. I truly am sorry for your loss." Sean looked at him, hoping his face conveyed the sympathy he felt for the other man, if anything happened to Kate or Tom or Andy he didn't know what he'd do.

"You're sorry. You're sorry! If you were sorry you wouldn't have let my daughter die!" Tony Preston yelled standing up, his face flashing with anger, Sean stood up to match him wondering if he needed to call security.

"Mr Preston there was nothing anybody could have done, I assure you of that. However if you're unhappy with the job I did you can always make a complaint. Now I suggest you calm down sir, I know you must be going through hell right now. I can prescribe a sedative if you like." Sean tried to pacify him, out in the hall the nurses were watching the commotion. The duty nurse reached for the phone, she was going to call security, it never hurt to be too careful.

"I don't want your assurances, I don't want your sympathy and I don't want your sedatives! I want my daughter!" Sean didn't know what to say to that, words could not express what he needed to say, so he just stood there feeling inadequate. "You bloody doctors, you're all the same. Running around in your flashy sports cars, going home to your nice beachfront houses, with your perfect little families. Well let me tell you!" Tony Preston jabbed his finger in Sean's face. "When you let my daughter die you made the biggest mistake of your life, you hear me. You're going pay, I'll see to that." Tony Preston then stormed out just as security arrived, they moved to escort him off the premises but Sean waved them off, that man was going through hell enough without him adding to it.

_End Flashback_

"I didn't think anything of it at the time. Just a man grieving for his daughter, anger is often the most common way people express it. They need to blame somebody. When I didn't hear anything I assumed he'd calmed down," Sean finished. "Why do you think he's behind this?"

"At the moment we're not sure, we're still looking into every lead," Jack told them.

"Excuse me," Sean said, standing up suddenly. Sam noted that he'd gone very white. "Can you tell me where the bathroom is?"

"Straight down the hall, third door on the left. Are you feeling ok sir?" Sam directed, Sean waved her off and headed in that direction.

"Jack," Vivian called, motioning for him to come over. Jack stood up and walked over to her desk. "Jack look at this. It's Dr Mason's bank records. Over the last ten months he's made regular checks to a Mike Miller. The amount adds up to nearly twenty thousand." Jack whistled.

"That's a lot of money, even for a doctor," Jack observed.

"That's what I thought, the checks stopped completely last month," Vivian added.

"Guess I better go find out who Mike Miller is?" Jack sighed, hoping that Dr Mason wasn't involved in anything illegal, he hated it when that happened. "Sam where's Dr Mason?"

"Bathroom," Sam replied not looking up, Jack knew without checking that she was teaching Tom and Andy the game she called agent, it would keep them quiet and amused for hours. Jack headed towards the bathroom but stopped before he got there. Dr Mason was outside the bathroom on his cell phone.

"Yeah, yeah I know . . Look I just don't know how long I can cover for you . . You better be playing me straight man because if I find out your jerking me around . . Ok, alright already, I believe you . . yeah see you around." Sean hung up, Jack headed back into the unit before he was spotted, he'd ask Dr Mason about Mike Miller later.


	3. Chapter 3

_Area of Queens.  
4 hours missing_

"Maybe the people who live here saw something," Danny said with more than a trace of sarcasm. They'd been knocking on doors for over two hours now and covered most of the block.

"Maybe we should have asked the NYPD for help," Martin suggested knocking on the door.

"What for a fishing expedition, yeah right," Danny replied. Just then the door opened a crack, held in place by a chain.

"Yes." A wavering voice greeted them.

"I'm Special Agent Taylor, this is Special Agent Fitzgerald, we're with the FBI ma'am" Danny held his badge up to the narrow opening for inspection. After a moment the door closed, the chain removed and the door opened fully. Standing in front of them was an elderly lady. Danny and Martin exchanged a glance, they make have hit the jackpot.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" the lady asked.

"We're investigating the kidnapping of Emily Mason," Martin explained, holding up a picture. "She was snatched this afternoon in Central Park. The getaway car was found torched and abandoned in a alley near here. We're interviewing everybody who lives in this block in the hope that somebody saw something."

"You better come in then," the lady said pushing back the door further and retreating into the house. Danny and Martin followed. "When was this," the old lady asked sinking into her armchair.

"Between three and five this afternoon," Danny told her looking longingly at the couch. As if he knew what he was thinking the tabby cat in the corner, walked past Danny and jumped onto the couch, stretching full length on it.

"There would have been three men or two men and a woman, we're not too sure about that. They would have had a four year old girl with them." Martin handed her the picture of Emily Mason. "That four year old girl."

"Between three and five you say. Now let me see, around three I was out the front watering my petunias when three men and a little girl walked past. The little girl was asleep in one of the man's arms. I thought it odd at the time because all the men were wearing black, on a sunny warm day like this you don't see that."

"Did you see where they went?" Danny asked eagerly.

"Yes of course, they headed through that alley down there. That leads directly to October street where there's a taxi rink." the old lady smiled at them. "Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't notice things you know."

"We never suggested otherwise. Thank you very much ma'am," Danny thanked her, they then ran out of her house as fast as they decently could.

"I'll call Jack." Martin reached for his cell phone.

_FBI Headquarters.  
4 hours missing_

"Yeah thanks Martin. I'll tell him." Vivian hung up. She then walked to Jack's office. "Jack that was Martin. They interviewed this old lady who thinks she sighted the three men and Emily. From what she said Martin thinks they got a cab. I'll call the cab company, try and get hold of the driver." Jack nodded to show he'd heard. Today had been a very long day, over 24 hours in fact. He hadn't slept last night worrying about today, the decision the judge was going to make over the custody of Hanna and Kate. He knew it had been stupid to worry about it, considering he couldn't change it, but worry he did. It was only now he realised how close he'd come to losing Hanna and Kate altogether, the judge had almost ruled that he should have no visitation rights at all.

"Jack." Sam came into his office. "I just started a background check on Dr Mason. I found two marriage certificates." Jack closed his eyes.

"Bring him to the interview room will you, I think it's time we had another talk with Dr Mason." Sam walked into the unit and over to the conference table.

"Dr Mason." Sean looked up, Sam's expression was unreadable.

"What is it? It's not bad news right?" Sean jumped up and started panicking.

"No it's not bad news. Could you come with me though, we have some more questions for you," Sam told him. Aimee frowned, what could they want to ask him that she couldn't be there for, for the first time ever Aimee began to doubt her husband. Sean followed Sam somewhat quizzically to the interview room, where Jack was waiting.

"Look what is this?" Sean protested.

"Sit down Dr Mason," Jack ordered, frowning and somewhat chastised Sean sat down. "Explain this to me." Jack laid down the two marriage certificates, Sean looked at them clearly not shaken at all.

"What's there to explain. I'm not a bigamist if that's what you're suggesting. I was married to Chloe, then I wasn't married to Chloe. Then I married Aimee, end of story," Sean quipped.

"Did you and your ex-wife part on good terms?" Jack asked.

"Yeah reasonably, she died." Jack turned to look at Sam, who shrugged her apology, she'd jumped to conclusions when she hadn't found a divorce certificate.

"How did she die?" Sam quizzed.

"Stroke," Sean answered, Sam frowned wondering if she'd been a lot older than him. "It was caused by an internal bleed and severe internal haemorrhaging." Jack motioned for him to go on. "You see she'd had a er, miscarriage a few months before. The internal bleeding was caused by that, it's always incredibly difficult to catch and with Chloe there was no exception."

"Was there any animosity from her family because of her death?" Jack asked. Sean shook his head.

"Nope, not because of that."

"But there was animosity," Sam noted, Sean bit his lip.

"Yeah a little. I wasn't exactly the perfect husband. I was there when it really mattered but not when I should have been." Sean ran his hand through his hair, _he's uncomfortable _Jack noticed, silently Sam this time motioned for him to go on. "You see . . well . . as soon as we got married Chloe wanted children. That was fine by me, we'd already agreed she'd be the one that stayed at home so I could work. At that time in my life that was what really mattered to me. Anyway we tried and it just didn't happen. I guess I felt pressured, like all the love had gone out of the marriage and she was just using me."

"You had an affair," Jack guessed, Sean nodded.

"Yeah with Aimee. I'm not proud of it, I mean even considering the subsequent relationship that developed from it, it was the wrong thing to do, starting another relationship before I finished the first one. Chloe fell pregnant as I was about to tell her it was over. I couldn't break it off then, I mean I was going to be a dad, so instead I broke it off with Aimee. After she miscarried I couldn't tell her either and then she died." Jack sat back thinking furiously allowing Sam to ask the next question.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Continued from the scene last chapter

**Jack sat back thinking furiously allowing Sam to ask the next question.**

"Did her family know about the affair?" Sean winced and nodded.

"I guess I wasn't as careful as I should have been. Somebody at work must have noticed and then accidentally on purpose mentioned it to Chloe. I didn't think she knew until the funeral and her family came down, they were furious with me, her sister especially. However, if you're thinking that maybe they had something to do with this, then you're wrong," Sean judged, Sam looked at Jack waiting for him to either ask another question or conclude the interview. After a moment Jack realised they were both looking at him, he'd been lost in thought.

"Do you know a Mike Miller?" Jack asked, for a second Sean looked startled before looking indifferent.

"No," Sean replied deliberately not looking Sam or Jack in the eye.

"Dr Mason you are a terrible liar," Jack told him staring him down, "Now who is Mike Miller?" Sean sighed and looked down at the table.

"My brother," Sean admitted.

"Half brother?" Sam looked for verification, Sean shook his head.

"No, he's just living under that name." Jack looked at him quizzically silently asking for more details. "He's been in and out of prison since he was old enough to be sent there, before that he was in and out of juvie." Jack and Sam exchanged a glance, they knew the type, "He's trying to go straight now, but who want's to hire an ex-con? He's been having some trouble getting a job so I've been helping him out," Sean stated with too much conviction, sounding as if he wasn't just trying to convince the FBI agents but himself as well.

"Really," Jack said drily, "Helping him out, how nice. Two thousand a month, very nice. Why'd the payments stop? I don't believe it's because your brother finally got a job." Sean sighed, he knew when he was beaten.

"No it wasn't because he got a job. I found out that he was using the money I gave him to . . to buy drugs. I always knew he was into a little dope but, he was in way over his head. He was using all the money I gave him just to pay for his addiction. I offered to put him through rehab but he wasn't interested, he didn't think he had a problem. I then obviously refused to give him anymore money, I wasn't paying for his addiction. He didn't like it, when I told him, he got a little violent."

_Flashback Alleyway_

"There." A furtive looking man hands Mike Miller a brown envelope, "It's all there man, everything you asked for. Now my money." Sean stops walking past and looks into the alleyway, he clearly can't believe what he's seeing.

"Here you go." Mike reaches into his inside pocket and withdraws a similar envelope, casually looking round to see if anybody is watching. Sean draws further back round the corner to avoid detection. "You going to count it?" Mike asked, the man shook his head.

"Nah, I trust you man," he declared, Mike smiled, they both knew he'd count it later but it was the gesture of trust that was important. "See you around man." Mike nodded his head and turned to walk out of the alleyway, the man went in the opposite direction and through a door into the building. Whistling slightly and looking cocky Mike walked to the end of the alley, but before he could walk out into the sunshine Sean stepped out from behind the corner blocking his way.

"What were you buying Mike?" Sean asked, his demeanour calm but Mike could hear the hint of danger in his voice, he visibly deflated before trying to reply offhandedly.

"Nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing. Hand it over." Mike swallowed hard, he didn't have a choice really. He knew his brother wouldn't hurt him physically, like he knew he couldn't hurt his brother, but he still had to hand it over. Begrudgingly, Mike reached into his pocket and withdrew the envelope the man gave him, handing it to Sean. Sean practically snatched it from him and looked inside, gingerly he put his hand in and withdrew a vial, he held it up. "Drugs Mike." Mike shifted uncomfortably. "You know I got a call this morning, from your landlord. You haven't been paying your rent because apparently you have no money. This is where it's going is it." Sean stopped looking angry and started looking disappointed. "I thought you were going straight."

"I am," Mike claimed, Sean shook his had sadly.

"You call this going straight," Sean sighed. "I hate to do this Mike, but I can't, in all good conscience give you money to fund this drug habit. However I'll put you through rehab . ."

"Rehab!" Mike exclaimed, "I don't need to go to rehab! I don't have a problem!" Sean looked very disbelieving, holding the vial up again.

"What do you call this then?"

"An indulgence," Mike stated, Sean laughed.

"An indulgence? Look in all seriousness Mike, I can't help you if you won't help yourself. I'm sorry to do this but, you're going to have to learn not to depend on my money anymore."

"You're cutting me off?" Mike shouted taking a step towards his brother balling his fists. "You can't do that, I'm your brother!"

"Do you think I really want to. I have to Mike, look like I said I'll put you through rehab willingly, but I can't and I won't support your drug habit," Sean stated finally, at this final word Mike lost control, he stepped forward and grabbed Sean, swinging him round and pinning him up against the wall where he hit him once in the chest and once in the face, before letting him go. Sean slid down the wall in a daze, Mike spit on him and left, leaving a shaken Sean.

_End Flashback Alleyway_

"Do you think he had something to do with your daughters kidnapping?" Jack asked, looking up from his notebook where he'd penciled a few notes.

"No. I called him earlier. Sounds terrible doesn't it, that I had to check, that I didn't trust my own brother?"

"It was understandable," Sam told him.

"I guess," Sean allowed.

"Thanks for clearing up those . . irregularities," Jack thanked him.

"Anything that will help find my daughter," Sean said seriously.

_Ted's Taxis.  
6 hours missing_

"Yeah I was at October Street rink this afternoon," Jose Chavez replied, shifting uneasily, clearly not comfortable with the attention of two FBI agents. He felt more uncomfortable because he was backed into the corner of the office leaving no avenue of escape. Also the potted plant behind him kept poking him.

"Around three o'clock?" Martin checked, Jose Chavez nodded warily.

"Did you pick up any passengers?" Danny asked fixing his eyes on Jose.

"You know I did. Three men and a little girl," Jose told them, eager to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"This little girl." Martin showed him the picture of Emily. Jose nodded.

"Yeah that's her."

"Where did you drop them Jose?" Danny questioned.

"JFK Airport." Danny motioned for him to continue, he was getting fed up with these minimalist answers. "Look they didn't have any luggage alright. No luggage tags or nothing."

"You're going to have to do better than that Jose," Danny told him.

"Unless you want us to contact immigration . ." Martin added tailing off.

"I don't know anything ok. Maybe one of the guys say they go to LA, but I really don't know," Jose exclaimed, desperately trying to get the two FBI agents to believe him. Danny and Martin exchanged a glance quickly Danny thanked Jose and they left the building looking for a signal.

"Which one of us do you reckon'll get to go to LA?" Danny smiled, punching the number in on his phone. "The one who calls it in."


	5. Chapter 5

_FBI Headquarters.  
8 hours missing_

"Alright I just got off the phone with Van Doren. We're cleared to send a team to LA," Jack told them walking into the unit from his office looking at Danny and Martin. Both trying to appear completely disinterested and failing dismally. He paused for a long moment to draw it out before continuing. "Given the fact that Emily Mason is almost certainly in LA . ." Jack paused again, he couldn't help himself. "Danny, Martin, Sam. You three and I are going to LA . ."

"Excuse me," Sean interrupted, Jack turned to face him.

"Dr Mason," Jack acknowledged him, turning back to his team.

"Look Agent Malone. If you're going to LA then so am I." Jack bit his lip, he'd been afraid of this, he turned back.

"Dr Mason you have to stay here because here is where they believe you to be. What if they wanted to contact you and you weren't here? Kidnappers don't like surprises like that," Jack told him leaving no room for debate, or so he thought.

"Aimee'll stay here. I have to go ok. I can't just do nothing. It's my daughter he's got. Maybe if you had a daughter you'd understand," Sean explained. Jack nodded giving in, he couldn't argue with that because he had two daughters.

"I do understand. I have two daughters myself. You can come on one condition, you don't interfere with the investigation." Sean nodded soberly smiling for the first time since his daughter went missing.

_United Airlines Flight 306.  
10 hours missing_

"Do you think Vivian's ok with staying behind?" Jack asked, slowly making his way along the aisle of the plane. Sam rolled her eyes.

"The answer's the same as the last time you asked. Yes I'm sure she's fine with it."

"Are you sure, I mean it is cutting her out of the action," Jack pointed out sliding awkwardly into his cramped seat. Sam with slightly less difficulty sat down next to him before replying.

"Yes but think about it. She's essentially running the unit now, she'll handle any new cases that come in etc. Plus it's got to be better for her because of her family." Jack nodded remembering back when that would have, should have been an issue for him.

"I guess, it's just it must be difficult for her because of me leaving then coming back." Sam nodded.

"It wasn't just difficult for her," Sam pointed out, almost as soon as she'd said it she regretted it. Jack's gaze met her eyes and held them.

"I know," Jack told her, wanting to so badly say what was in his heart but not knowing how to say it. Instead he remained silent, the silence grew and became uncomfortable, but still neither of them spoke. They couldn't, the risk of the other not reprocriating the feelings was too great. When they'd ended the affair it had been hard to work together as if nothing had ever happened, they both feared that if one of them crossed that line again, with the other not feeling the same that working together would prove downright impossible. They both loved each other too much, they needed each other in their lives, the problem was neither of them knew that the other felt the same.

"Jack," Martin interrupted the silence. "I just got off the phone with Viv. LA has been over to Tony Preston's apartment, he hasn't lived there in months." Jack nodded.

"Have we run Tony Preston through the computer yet?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. He's widowed, apparently his wife died giving birth to his daughter. He has a sister, Kelly, who lives in Colorado and a brother, Jake, whereabouts unknown. He also has a cousin, Eddie, who's just finished some hardtime for assault and battery, he skipped out on his parole, whereabouts unknown," Martin reported

"Our other two guys. Call Viv and tell her to pull out all the stops for finding them." Martin nodded and started to edge back down the aisle.

_Los Angeles International Airport Terminal.  
16 hours missing_

"Yeah . . Yeah . . Thanks Viv." Jack hung up and straightened out the crick in his neck. "While we were sleeping Viv managed to get a possible address for Tony Preston's brother. Martin, Danny, I want you to head over there. See what there is to see, but be discreet and no heroics." Jack tore the address out of his notebook and handed it to them. "Dr Mason come with us. I think we need to find that colleague of yours that told your wife about your affair."

"Why? I thought you were going after Tony Preston?" Sean asked confused.

"We are, but we're also need to look into other possibilities, in case Tony Preston isn't our man," Jack explained.

"Ok I understand that. What I don't understand is why you're looking into my affair. It's not relevant," Sean told him, whispering the word affair like it offended him to say it.

"It could be, whoever told your wife might have done it because of a grudge against you. Besides if it makes you feel any better, we're also looking into your brother, we haven't been able to find him," Jack said finally, turning and walking in the direction of the exit, Sam followed leaving a shocked Sean to catch up.

_City Hospital.  
17 hours missing_

"Sean." A woman ran across the ER and enveloped Sean in a hug. "I heard I'm so sorry." Sean smiled weakly at her before turning back to Sam and Jack.

"This is Dr Kate Turner. Kate, this is Special Agent Malone and Special Agent Spade," Sean introduced. Jack and Sam exchanged a glance, both wondering if Kate and Sean were more than just colleagues.

"Anything I can do to help," Kate offered, "Anything at all."

"We have a few questions," Sam told her "Did you know Dr Mason's first wife Chloe?"

"Yeah I knew Chloe, not very well. We probably just met at the functions the hospital board makes us go too," Kate replied "Why?"

"Someone told Chloe about Dr Mason's affair. We want to know why because it's possible that that person had a grudge against Dr Mason," Jack explained cutting right to the heart of the matter, knowing from experience that when he did that he got more truthful reactions out of people, Kate bit her lip and sighed.

"I'm sorry Sean. Simon told her, he didn't mean too," Kate admitted. "I know I should have told you, but by the time I'd found out and come to find you, Chloe had told you she was pregnant. She never mentioned it, and you called it off with Aimee, so I didn't see any sense in mentioning it."

"Who's Simon?" Sam asked.

"My husband. He's a Detective with the LAPD," Kate told them. Just then her pager went off, she checked it and then looked up apologetically. "I'm needed in the OR. Sean if there's anything I can do let me know." Kate urged walking quickly off in the direction of the OR.

_14 E Maple Street Pasadena  
17 hours missing_

Danny looked at the house with a vague sense of unease yet he didn't know why. The house didn't look like it had been lived in for months, the driveway was overgrown with weeds that hadn't been disturbed, there was a massive cobweb obscuring the front door and the neighbours they'd spoken too said the place had been empty for months. Why then did he feel like danger was behind those broken shutters?

"Nobody's home," Martin reported, brushing part of the cobweb off his jacket, Danny decided not to tell him about the part on his hair.

"I don't know. Let's check round back," Danny suggested, moving before Martin could argue.

"Danny," Martin hissed when he caught up with him. "Nobody's home."

"If nobody's home who put that on the door." Danny gestured towards the brand new shiny padlock on the garden door.

Martin didn't reply, clearly not comfortable with the situation. Danny examined the padlock and what it was attached too, he then pulled a penknife from his pocket, a minute later the door swung open, Danny winced as it creaked. Silently Danny moved forward drawing his gun, reluctantly Martin followed also drawing his gun. Making sure to stay outside the line of fire Danny edged toward the door, turning the handle, he was surprised when he felt it turn easily and the door open.

"It's not locked," Danny told Martin puzzled, then they both heard the sound of a car starting out front. They exchanged a horrified glance and ran out of the garden.

When they got out front they saw a bound and gagged Emily Mason being shoved in the back of a red sedan by Tony Preston. His brother, Jake, was halfway between the car and the front door holding a gun. Without hesitation Danny opened fire, aiming for the gun arm. Martin aimed for Tony Preston, who had seen them, finished shutting Emily in the car and had drawn a gun. Danny hit Jake and he went down hard. Martin squeezed off a round aiming at Tony but it got deflected off the car. Tony then started returning fire making the two FBI agents dive for cover. Martin jumped behind the shallow wall which separated Jake's property from next doors and Danny dived behind the nearby garbage bin. Bullets flew overhead keeping Danny and Martin pinned down. A moment later the gunfire stopped and the noise of a rapidly accelerating car could be heard. Before either Danny or Martin could get a round off the car it had disappeared.

**A/N:** For anybody who was wondering E Maple Street Pasadena is a real place it's just off I210 and near 710 and 134, they all meet near the street. I thought it would be a good place for someone to be hiding out if they needed a quick getaway and of course, obviously _Maple Street._ However, I've no idea if it is actually a residential area.


	6. Chapter 6

_14 E Maple Street Pasadena  
18 hours missing_

Jack walked purposely towards the ambulance, the local police chief and the FBI street agent liaison both walked out to meet him but changed direction when they saw the look on his face. Jack was angry and they didn't want it to be at them. As soon as he reached the ambulance Jack started yelling at it's occupant.

"What did you think you were doing? I told you to be discreet not to get the whole neighbourhood shot up! No heroics I said!" Jack glowered, Danny recoiled slightly still a little shook up from the shootout. The EMT who had been attending to him finished putting a plaster on the last of his cuts and got out of there.

"It wasn't intentional Jack," Danny told him, "Besides at least we know for definite that Emily Mason is in LA now." Before Jack could reply Martin tapped him on the shoulder.

"Jack. Sean Mason just arrived," Martin reported, Jack turned round looking in the direction Martin was pointing clearly shocked.

"What! How did he know?" Jack exclaimed. Suddenly a loud crash and angry voices could be heard Jack groaned and exchanged a look with Martin before running to the source of the commotion, this wasn't going to be pretty.

"What did you do with my daughter?" Sean yelled, pinning Jake against the wall. Martin moved forward to restrain Sean, Jack put a hand out and stopped him. For one long moment Jack looked into Sean's eyes and understood. He thought of Kate and Hanna and what he'd do if they ever went missing.

"Jack," Martin protested "What are you doing?"

"Leave it, let Dr Mason have his turn," Jack ordered, Martin stared at him incredulously not knowing what to do. He could obey the order, or he could do what he knew was right. For Martin, at that moment, it was no contest, he'd obey the order. Jake looked towards them, his eyes begging for help, Jack shrugged and made no move to help him. Jake deflated, eyes filled with defeat.

"What did you do with my daughter?" Sean asked again, eyes bulging in anger. On getting no immediate answer Sean hit him hard in the stomach knocking all the wind out of him. "Answer me!" Martin stepped forward but again Jack stopped him.

"I don't know," Jake gasped, "We were meant to stay holed up here." Sean bit his lip some of his anger dissapitating now, he could tell that Jake was speaking the truth.

"Have you got anything useful to tell me?" Sean asked between clenched teeth.

"I guess. Tony gave me a message to say if it all went to hell," Jake told him, he'd managed to get his breath back and was no longer gasping.

"Well what's the message?" Sean asked impatiently.

"To tell you that your daughters body will be returned to you by two this afternoon. You will only just be too late to save her," Jake stated coldly, before Sean could hit him again Martin restrained him this time Jack didn't stop him. Leaving Martin to deal with Sean, Jack stepped out of the ambulance to be greeted by Sam.

"I just finished speaking with the local FBI street agent. There's no hope of finding the car, Danny and Martin only got a partial plate between them and there are three major roads close by. They could be anywhere," Sam told him.

"Jake Preston gave us an ultimatum from his brother Tony. Emily Mason's body will be returned to Dr Mason by two this afternoon. He'll be just too late to save her. That gives us five hours to find her," Jack stated, "If she isn't dead already," he added sadly as an afterthought.

"She won't be," Sam said positively with more conviction than she actually felt. "Jake said that Dr Mason would only just be too late to save his daughter remember."

"They must expect us to find them then," Jack concluded

"Or for them to find us," Sam reasoned, Jack sighed.

"There is that. I'll call Viv, she found them last time, maybe she can do it again."

_FBI Headquarters  
18 hours missing_

'Sometimes I hate this job,' Vivian thought sighing as she went to tell Aimee Mason the latest development in the case. As she walked over to the conference table Aimee stood up as if anticipating that she had bad news. Even Tom and Andy looked up from whatever it was that they were doing to look at her.

"Detective Mason, if you'd sit down please," Vivian ordered her politely sitting down in a chair across from where Aimee had been sitting. Aimee nervously sat back down.

"It's bad news isn't it?" Aimee asked, impatiently with a shaking hand brushing back a hair that had fallen across her eyes.

"There's some good news and some bad news," Vivian said deliberately anticipating Aimee interrupting, when she didn't she continued. "The good news is that Emily is definitely in LA, she was sighted by two of our agents. Agents Fitzgerald and Taylor, you know them. The bad news is that they lost sight of her after a shootout between themselves and the people who took Emily."

"She wasn't hurt was she?" Aimee interrupted, worry etched across her face. Vivian shook her head.

"No we've every belief that Emily is fine. However, Jake Preston, the man shot and captured gave us a message. He said that, that Emily's body would be returned to her father at two this afternoon, LA time. That he would be just too late to save her."

"Oh my god I . . I need to get out there." Aimee stood up as if she was going to leave right now, Vivian stood up and moved to block her path.

"Mrs Mason you know that you getting on a plane right now won't make a difference. You're better off staying here," Vivian told her,

Aimee moved as if to push past, then back and then forward again. It was clear she didn't know what to do, she'd been awake for over twenty-eight hours, been through more emotions in that time than anybody could reasonably be expected to cope with. With an air of despair Aimee slumped back down in her chair and cried. Vivian trained though she was at working closely with victims families couldn't find any words of comfort. In this case there were no bad guys, just victims. _'You better find her Jack.'_ Vivian thought as she tried in vain to comfort a mother whose child, while she might not be dead yet was in all probability as good as dead.


	7. Chapter 7

_City Hospital  
20 Hours Missing_

"All I'm saying Martin is that you should have consulted me first," Jack told him pushing open the swing door and entering the bustling ER.

"You told me to deal with Dr Mason and I did. Considering what Jake told us I thought him a threat to the investigation," Martin reasoned. Behind them Danny rolled his eyes at Sam, Jack had spent the entire drive to the hospital chewing Martin out and Martin still didn't get it.

They'd come to the hospital after the local FBI office had phoned round all the hospitals in LA asking about someone suffering mild gunshot injuries. Martin was sure that he'd winged Tony Preston at least once and at this point in the investigation, any possible lead was looked at. This particular long shot might have panned out and at the moment it was their only hope.

"I agree, it's just I think there is better ways of dealing with that than arresting him. Dr Mason is going through hell right now as it is, without you adding to it," Jack finished, reaching into his jacket pocket for his FBI badge and walking to the reception desk.

"Agent Malone." A voice called, Jack turned round, it was Kate Turner.

"Dr Turner," Jack greeted, "Perhaps you can help me. We're looking for the man that was brought in suffering mild gunshot wounds."

"He's in trauma two with my husband. He arrested him as soon as he heard that you were interested," Kate told them leading the way, automatically Danny and Martin unbuttoned their jackets, they'd already had one dealing with this man, this time they were going to come out on top.

Kate opened the swing door stopping in her tracks nearly causing Jack to bump into her. The room looked like a hurricane had hit it, though that obviously wasn't the case. Detective Turner was lying unconscious on the other side of the room, a small pool of blood under his head, his holster was open and his gun was missing. Kate ran over to his side, checking his vital signs instinctively.

"I don't understand, I was in here just a minute ago," Kate told them, Jack nodded reaching under his jacket to his own holster pulling out his gun. Suddenly a scream rent through the air, Jack ran to the door issuing orders on the fly.

"Martin call for backup, tell them we've got an armed and dangerous man loose in this hospital. Then go with Danny, call security and get them to seal off this floor. Sam you're with me. No heroics, I want him alive but not if he's a danger to anybody," Jack ordered, taking the lead. Sam followed, as soon as they entered the ER a nurse screamed dropping the stack of charts she'd just picked up again. By the desk a LAPD uniform was talking into his radio, he drew his gun when he saw Jack and Sam.

"Stop LAPD." he yelled, taking the classic weaver stance. Jack who still had his badge in his hand held it out for inspection.

"FBI. I'd ask you to remain calm, there is a slight situation but it's under control," Jack told them, keeping his voice quiet and calm. The officer nodded and straightened.

"My partner just went after the guy. What can I do?" he told them

"Give us your radio. Watch the stairs and shut down the elevators. We think we've got him pinned down to this floor and we'd like to keep it that way. Where did he go?" Jack asked, taking the radio from the officer.

The officer pointed to the corridor on the left and headed off in the opposite direction, he spent a lot of time at this hospital one way or another and knew his way around, he went to the maintenance room where the fuse box was. He opened the door with a conveniently placed spanner which he used as a crowbar. There was a switch here that turned off the elevators, it was just which one. Choosing a wire which looked vaguely familiar the officer pulled it plunging the hospital into darkness. He'd cut off all the power by mistake.

One the other side of the floor Danny and Martin looked at each other when the lights went off, they didn't know if that was good or bad. Resigned they withdrew the torch that all FBI agents had to carry at all times, it's beam cut through the darkness showing them the way down the corridor. Not far away both Jack and Sam had their torches out, both praying that backup would get there soon, the tension everytime they had to open a door, knowing that they could get shot at, was unbearable. So far all they'd encountered was rooms full of scared patients, who screamed upon seeing their guns. This was definitely the worst way to work.

_Outside City Hospital  
20 hours missing_

Sean Mason pulled up outside the hospital in his 'borrowed' sedan. The FBI agent it belonged to was bound and handcuffed in the trunk, he'd heard over the radio about the possible finding of Tony Preston. Then he'd heard that he was armed and playing hide and seek on the fifth floor with four FBI agents. He knew he'd never manage to bluff his way in, even with the FBI windbreaker. However, he knew this hospital better than anyone, there was more than one way in.

Confidently Sean parked, bypassing the main entrance he headed into the shadows at a trot, acting like he had every right to be there. Nobody challenged him and soon he reached the door he was looking for, it was old and the plant in front was partially obscuring it but he knew from experience it wouldn't be locked. Smiling slightly Sean turned the handle, as expected the door opened easily. His 'borrowed' torch in one hand and his 'borrowed' gun in the other Sean entered the dark depths of the hospital.

Once upon a time this had been a surgical ward, now it was abandoned and forgotten. For a time it had been used as a maintenance corridor enabling workmen to magically appear anywhere in the hospital, however even that primitive use was long over. Nobody had been down here in years except for him, one curious third year medical student. Now it would serve another purpose. Sean reached his destination, the old maintenance lift. It had been abandoned in favour of a newer more reliable system, it still worked though and the tunnels for it still wove all over the hospital. With a little difficulty Sean squeezed in, he leaned out and pressed five on the control panel. The old system clanked to life.

"Going up," Sean whispered. Unbeknown to him as soon as the lift had gone up a floor Eddie moved out of the shadows looking worriedly at the lift. After staring at the control panel for a moment he determined there wasn't anything he could do. He headed back down the corridor to a dimly lit room at the end.

"Three hours kid and then it'll all be over. One way or another," Eddie told the bound and gagged figure in the corner, Emily Mason. Dried tears stained her cheeks, fear and fatigue consumed her.

"Daddy," she whimpered behind the gag for the umpteenth time, this time Eddie didn't even tell her to be quiet because he no longer cared. Within three hours it was all going to be over, one way or another.

_City Hospital: Danny and Martin  
20 hours missing_

Danny waved Martin forward, they were working in the standard leapfrog approach, enabling them to always cover each other. Caution was the name of the game and they didn't intend to be the losers. At the end of the corridor they could see a shadow, something or somebody was laying on the floor. Taking their time they approached.

"Shit," Danny swore, it was the LAPD Officer, he was dead. Danny didn't need to check his pulse to ascertain that, he was missing half his face. Grimacing Danny reached down and retrieved the dead officers radio, as respectfully as he could Danny wiped it on the officers uniform, trying to remove at least some of the blood. Once done Danny hit the transmit button and spoke into the radio.

"Officer down. Officer down. Requesting assistance," Danny reported, licking his dry lips nervously. Over on the other side of the hospital Jack and Sam froze when their commandeered radio squawked. Hearing Danny's report they exchanged a worried glance hoping it wasn't Martin, quickly Jack hit the transmit button.

"Danny who's down?" Jack asked, knowing that it could be that uniform that went after Tony Preston in the first place.

"Uniform," Danny replied relief heavy in his voice. "We got nothing here Jack. When's backup arriving?" Both Jack and Sam let out a breath they didn't even know they were holding.

"Soon hopefully, maybe they'll fix the goddamn lights as well. We got nothing here either. Report if you find anything," Jack ordered.

"Copy that," Danny acknowledged. Neither Jack nor Danny realised the significance of them getting each other, the radios they had weren't set to general broadcast they were on intercom. Nobody else could hear them.


	8. Chapter 8

_City Hospital: Sean Mason  
21 hours missing_

Sean didn't think about what it was that he was doing, he didn't want to think, afraid that if he did he'd stop. He knew that the chances of him finding Tony Preston were very slim, he had to try though, for his daughter. When the lift arrived at the top Sean struggled with the catch on the door, there was little leverage as people weren't meant to ride in these lifts. Eventually he managed it and with relief he clambered out stretching, five floors might not be a lot but in a slow cramped old lift it could seem like forever.

After a moment he was ready to go, he held the gun in one hand and the torch in the other, just as he reached forward with the torch hand to open the door it opened. Sean stared at the man who'd entered in shock and the man who'd just entered stared at him. Sean regained his senses before the man did kicking him hard in the kidneys and then bringing the butt of the gun crashing down on his head. He hadn't had to find Tony Preston, Tony had come to him. Sean knew there was no way he'd be able to go back down the way he'd come. Backup wasn't here yet, so there was a chance that nobody was watching the elevators. Since the power was out they wouldn't be working, unless you manually restarted them, which was what he was going to do.

Sean stuck the gun in his waistband and bending down hefted an unconscious Tony Preston into a fireman's lift, he ignored the gun that Tony had dropped, leaving it where it fell. Staggering slightly with the load Sean walked to the nearest elevator, once there he began the complicated process of manually restarting the elevator and then overriding the settings so it would go down to the ground floor, otherwise known as the old surgical ward. After a stressful five minutes in which he jumped at the slightest sound he managed it. The doors pinged open. Sean rolled Tony Preston in and walked in, he didn't have to bother with any buttons because the destination was already set. There was no going back now.

_City Hospital: Jack and Sam  
21 hours missing_

Jack and Sam rounded the corner just as Sean walked into the elevator, in the darkness they didn't know who it was, the doors closed before they could get there. Sam reached for the button to make the elevator come back but Jack stopped her.

"Wait. He's fiddled with this." Jack pointed at the open service hatch and the exposed wires.

"You think it's booby trapped?" Sam asked, Jack looked up at the lights which showed which floor the elevator was on, it had gone to two and blinked off.

"No it's probably just to get it to work without the power," Jack said with rather more conviction than he felt, sighing he slammed the service hatch closed then nervously he straightened up and pushed the elevator button, the elevator started to climb back up. "They have their own generators but they're not set for use, the point being if there's a powercut it could be dangerous," Jack explained, not sure where that bit of useless trivia had come from. While they were waiting for the elevator to collect them Jack attempted to radio in their discovery, position and intentions to Danny and Martin - he couldn't get through.

The elevator arrived and when the doors opened without an explosion of some kind both Jack and Sam breathed a sigh of relief. They entered the elevator, the doors closed automatically and they started their descent. Jack tried again to raise Danny and Martin on the radio, while he was concerned he was sure that they were both fine, he'd try again when they got to their destination. Both Sam and Jack readied their gunsin preparation for an ambush. Jack looked at Sam and tried to smile encouragingly, this was probably the most stupid and risky escapade they'd ever done, needs must though, they had a little girl somewhere who in two hours would be dead if they didn't find her. That was enough to make them take all the risks in the world.

_City Hospital: Eddie  
21 hours missing_

Eddie was startled from his reverie by the noise of the elevator, he jumped up and pulled his gun out of his waistband reminding himself not to shoot until he knew who it was. Tony would be coming back down soon and he didn't want to hit him by mistake. Damn stupid FBI agent, hadn't got a good shot at Tony so had winged him several times, making it not bad enough to catch him but bad enough he needed to go to hospital. Nervously Eddie moved to the door, leveling his gun at the elevator so he could shoot anybody who wasn't Tony. The elevator doors opened and out walked Tony, Eddie sighed a sigh of relief and was about to call out to him when he saw that Tony had a gun pointed at his back. Without thinking Eddie stepped out of the doorway and into the corridor, he leveled his gun at Sean so he had a clear shot.

"Drop the gun or I'll shoot," Eddie told him willing his hands to stop shaking so if necessary he could follow through on the threat. Sean turned to look at him surprised, seeing that it was Eddie and not the FBI the surprise quickly turned to anger.

"You drop the gun or I'll shoot your friend," Sean threatened looking Eddie hard in the eye. Eddie gulped knowing that Sean would follow through with his threat even if it was his last dying act.

They'd taken his daughter, his flesh and blood, they'd wronged him and he was out for revenge. Suddenly a rare flash of inspiration came to Eddie, he backed away still holding his gun on Sean, Sean looked at him knowing he was planning something but not sure what, powerless to do anything anyway. Sean watched as Eddie disappeared for a second, when he returned Sean knew he'd lost. He was holding Emily, pointing his gun at her.

"Drop the gun or I'll shoot," Eddie repeated his threat. Sean looked at Emily, her eyes were full of fear, he held them communicating without words that it would be alright. Then resigned he dropped the gun and kicked it away. Tony then turned to face him, his eyes burning with hatred. He kicked Sean hard winding him, he then started dragging him towards the room Eddie had re-entered. Tony now had an added bonus, rather than just killing Emily and making Sean find the body just as it was too late. He could make Sean watch her die just as he'd had to watch his daughter die.

_City Hospital: Jack and Sam  
21 hours missing_

Just as Tony and Sean disappeared into one of the old operating rooms the elevator doors opened again. Jack turned his torch off and watching the shadows for movement stepped out of the elevator, Sam covering him. When nothing happened he waved for Sam to move forward. The door to the old operating room wasn't quite closed and both FBI agents could clearly see the chink of light escaping through the crack in the door. Using SWAT hand signals they got into position. One last time Jack attempted to radio in before giving up, the batteries must be dead, they would go on alone they had after all got this far.

With Sam beside the door Jack got ready to storm in. It wasn't the best setup, the best setup would need more than two agents, this was the best they could do. Using hand signals Jack counted down with his fingers, three, two, one. When he had a clenched fist he stormed forward and kicked the door in. His knee screamed in protest and he reminded himself that he really was too old for kicking down doors.

On entering Jack scanned the room for threats, he saw a man pointing a gun at another man wearing an FBI windbreaker. Jack didn't hesitate, he aimed and fired. Eddie fell down, a small hole appeared on his forehead, that small hole rapidly expanded exploding most of the back of his head. Sam, who had entered a split second after Jack, aimed at the man perching on the old operating table, she knew from photos to be Tony Preston, there was just one slight problem with her firing. Tony had his gun out and pointing at Emily Mason, he stared Sam right in the eyes daring her to pull the trigger, daring her to risk it.

The sound of Jack's gunshot echoed around the small confined room. Jack who after noting that Eddie was dead had turned looking for another target, he too had his gun pointing at Tony Preston, he like Sam didn't dare pull the trigger. Once the echo's had subsided Tony smiled moving his eyes between Sam, Jack and Sean, who all stared at him.

"Guns down please," Tony ordered in a quiet, calm, pleasant tone of voice that didn't suit the situation at all. Jack and Sam exchanged a glance and both lowered their guns together. "Unchambered, unloaded and with the safeties on please. We wouldn't want any accidents would we?" Tony continued.

Jack bit his tongue and did what he was told, this guy was certainly crazy, grief had obviously unhinged him, he wasn't stupid though. Crazy not stupid. When both guns had been made _'safe'_, Tony motioned for Jack and Sam to chuck them in the corner by the old sink.

"Very good, now hand me you radio."

Resigned Jack handed him the radio, Tony looked at it for a moment, perhaps trying to see where the off switch was. Then suddenly and violently he smashed it down on the operating table again and again, only stopping when it was completely smashed.

"Sit down please," Tony ordered in the same unnerving polite tone of voice as before.

With a little difficulty Jack sat down, his knee was being awkward, it didn't want to bend. Little did Tony Preston know it, but by making him sit down he'd effectively removed Jack from the fight.

"You two FBI agents." Tony pointed with his non-gun hand at Jack and Sam. "What are your names?"

"I'm Special Agent Jack Malone," Jack told him, thinking fast trying to think of a negotiating technique he could use.

Unbidden the memory of the last time he'd had to negotiate a hostage situation came back to him. He'd been on the inside then too, also with a man consumed by grief. Jack tried to clear his mind, he didn't want to remember that unless it could help here, it made him think of Sam and one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made, going back to Maria.

"I'm Special Agent Samantha Spade," Sam identified herself, trying to block out the memories that were flooding into her consciousness. She didn't want to remember Barry Mashburn, she didn't want to remember the bookstore, she didn't want to remember what it felt like to be shot with her own gun. Memories and regrets wouldn't help here, in fact they'd hinder her, providing fear and hesitation.

"Well Samantha, Jack. This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and him." Tony pointed at Sean. "You see he did something to me, he took something away, the most precious thing in the world. My daughter. He has to pay for that in kind."

"Let me get this straight you lost your daughter, you blame Sean, meaning his daughter has to die," Jack summarised desperately trying to buy time, time that would allow Danny and Martin to . . _'Oh shit'_ Jack thought, _We're on our own. __Nobody knows that we're down here.'  
_

"That's right Jack," Tony told him, he then turned to face Sean and his face contorted with hate. "I told you that night long ago you'd have to pay. Did you think I spoke lies?" Tony stood up suddenly yanking Emily with him, he was holding her up by her arms twisting them making her cry out behind the gag in pain.

"I didn't kill your daughter Tony, a hit and run driver did. Why don't you go take it up with him? I did everything I could to save your daughter, everything. I worked over an hour trying to bring her back, the recommended time is twenty minutes. I did everything possible for your daughter, it was just too late. That's not my fault, like I said take it up with the guy who left her there for dead," Sean reasoned, staring at Tony Preston's now emotionless face, desperately looking for any trace of understanding. "If you still blame me that's fine. Everybody always blames the doctor, that's why we have so many lawsuits against us. Take it out on me though, you can kill me, do what you like, just do it to me. Leave my family out of this," Sean pleaded, praying to every god he knew but knowing that they wouldn't make any difference. There was only one man in the world with the power to save his daughter, that man he'd just begged.


	9. Chapter 9

_City Hospital: Danny and Martin  
22 hours missing_

The ER was bustling with uniformed cops, FBI agents and a SWAT team. In the middle of all the chaos stood Danny and Martin. Reinforcements had arrived about three-quarters of an hour ago, they'd restored the power and searched the whole building. Not only could they not find Tony Preston, Jack and Sam had also gone missing. Danny had tried to get on them the radio and Martin had tried both their cell phones. Nothing.

"Agent Taylor, Agent Fitzgerald." A man in plainclothes walked towards them, his face unreadable. "I'm Captain Green, LAPD. Have you managed to contact your colleague yet?"

"No. They aren't answering their radio and their cell phones are reporting no signal," Martin told him, "Now what steps have you taken to try and find them?" Martin snapped back, he was worried about Sam and he was letting it get to him.

"Take it easy ok," Captain Green suggested, looking quizzically at Danny, who shrugged in reply to the unanswered question. "We've got men on every floor, this hospital in in lock down while we comb it again. They can't have left the building."

"Then where are they Captain huh? We've already searched the whole hospital," Martin asked him, clearly agitated. Captain Green didn't have an answer for that, a moment of uncomfortable silence fell.

"Excuse me Captain." The uniform from the ER tapped him on the shoulder. "Search teams found this." he handed him an evidence bag with a gun in it. "It was my partners gun."

"Where did you find it?" Danny asked, cutting off Captain Green before he could ask the same question.

"Maintenance closet, this floor," the Officer told him.

"Take us there," Danny ordered, giving Martin a look that said calm down.

_City Hospital: Jack and Sam  
22 hours missing_

Meanwhile in the operating room all was quiet. Jack, Sam and Sean were still sitting on the floor. Tony had sat back down on the operating table, putting Emily back down next to him, keeping his gun trained on her at all times. Nobody had spoken for several minutes, ever since Sean had begged Tony to release Emily.

"Sean I'm sorry," Tony apologised sincerely, suddenly breaking the silence.

Jack and Sam shared a glance, unsure of what was happening, Tony had invested a lot in this, far too much to suddenly see reason now. Sean breathed a sigh of relief and started to stand up.

"I don't believe a word you just said," Tony added.

Sean looked at him from his crouched position. Suddenly Tony swung his gun round and fired twice at Sean who collapsed instantly. Tony stood up and seemingly oblivious of Jack and Sam aimed it at Emily Mason. Before he could pull the trigger Sam swung her leg out and knocked his feet out from under him. He fell forward accidentally squeezing off a round, Jack from his sitting position lunged forward, landing on top of him. Tony struggled and tried to club Jack with the butt of his gun. Before he could Sam grabbed his arm, she brought it crashing down on the floor, forcing him to lose the grip on the gun. She then pulled her handcuffs out and with Jack pinning Tony down she clicked them on.

"You're under arrest," Jack told him as he rolled back on to the floor.

"Yeah." Sam smiled faintly, offering Jack a hand up. "You have the right to remain silent but anything you do say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Jack winced as he put weight on his bad knee, ignoring the pain he limped over to the sink where he picked up his gun and Sam's.

"You have the right to an attorney during all questioning," Jack continued limping back, he handed Sam her gun she immediately reloaded it. "Do you understand these rights?" Jack asked, slamming a new magazine into his own gun. Tony Preston mumbled something inaudible. "I'll take that as a yes then," Jack stated. "Sam see to Dr Mason will you. It doesn't look like he's losing that much blood." Jack then limped over to the operating table where gently he removed Emily Mason's gag. "How you doing, sweetheart? I'm Jack Malone FBI, we've been looking for you," Jack told her smiling reassuringly. Over with Sean Mason Sam tensed.

_Flashback Fall out Part 2_

Jack moved over to Samantha and knelt down next to her. Sam looked at him, her breathing shallow and laboured, eyes begging him to help her. Jack reached down and lightly brushed her hair at her forehead with his knuckles.

"How you doing, sweetheart?" Jack asked, his eyes full of worry.

_End Flashback Fall out Part 2_

Shaking her head Sam thrust the memory to the back of her mind as she concentrated on the task at hand. She needed something to use as a pressure pad, while Sean Mason appeared to have _'borrowed'_ a bulletproof vest to go along with his windbreaker, he hadn't fastened it properly. Consequently fragments of the two bullets had penetrated the vest giving him some very nasty gashes, one of which Sam was sure had hit an artery.

"Daddy," Emily wailed, Jack's breath caught in his throat. He looked back, his eyes meeting with Sam's. He could tell from her expression that it was worse than he had thought it to be.

"Come on sweetheart." Jack removed the last of her bindings, he then reached down and picked her up as if she were a baby. Ignoring his knee he carried her to the door. "Your daddy will be fine I promise. Now let's get out of this miserable place hey."


	10. Chapter 10

_New York City at night_

Vivian walked back into the missing persons unit. Aimee jumped up knowing that now was the moment of truth time. Had Tony Preston fulfilled his promise or not? Vivian smiled at her.

"She's ok." Aimee sighed with relief and almost collapsed forward into Vivian's arms, sobbing on her shoulder. It was finally over.

_City Hospital, LA_

Silently along the corridor Sean Mason was wheeled out of the the OR. Dr Kate Turner still in scrubs followed him, keeping a lonely vigil on her best friend. Wordlessly her husband Detective Turner joined her at the end of the corridor, he had concussion and was meant to be kept in over night for observation. However, he'd checked himself out an hour earlier, he would be spending the night at the hospital anyway. He was going to make Kate's vigil a little less lonely.

_A beach in Malibu, LA_

Jack and Sam sat on a bench staring out at the dark sea as it crashed in on the beach below them. They'd been here for about half an hour, ever since the LAPD had decided they could go. They'd walked out of the hospital, Jack had hailed a cab and told the driver to take them to the nearest beach, explaining that they couldn't go back to New York without visiting at least one Californian beach, even if it was one o'clock in the morning. Ever since they'd got there neither of them had said a word, they drank in the fresh sea air and thought.

"You know I got my divorce finalised day before yesterday." Jack broke the silence, he'd been meaning to tell her ever since he'd signed the papers but what with the case he hadn't had a chance, he didn't even know if it meant anything though.

"I know," Sam replied, wondering why he'd brought it up.

"Oh." Jack didn't know what to say now, not that he knew what to say before that is. They sat in silence for a few minutes more, Jack thought about Sean Mason, about what he'd said in the interview room.

_'Yeah with Aimee. I'm not proud of it, I mean even considering the subsequent relationship that developed from it, it was the wrong thing to do, starting another relationship before I finished the first one. Chloe fell pregnant as I was about to tell her it was over. I couldn't break it off then, I mean I was going to be a dad, so instead I broke it off with Aimee. After she miscarried I couldn't tell her either and then she died.'_

He'd had an affair with Sam, and like Sean he wasn't proud of that fact. It was the wrong thing to do, starting another relationship before he finished the first one. Sean was dead right about that. However, his marriage had ended just like Sean's had done, albeit for a different reason. Sean had managed to rebuild his life with Aimee, did that mean he could rebuild his life with Sam? How had he gone about doing that? Had he just one day met up with Aimee had told her that he loved her? How had he known that she'd feel the same? Perhaps he hadn't, perhaps he had just taken his chances. Could he take his chances? There were so many complications with him and Sam, there was work and regulations there, there was the fact that Sam might be with Martin, there was Kate and Hanna. What if she wasn't interested? Could he deal with that? He wouldn't know unless he tried.

"Sam I . ." Sam turned to look at him, their eyes met and they told each other all they needed to know. Slowly they leaned forward, their lips met and they kissed gently and lovingly. " . . love you," Jack finished smiling, knowing that whatever problems tomorrow brought, they would face them together.

_**The End**_

**A/N: ** I'm sorry that there wasn't that much Jack and Sam in it, I tried to keep it like an episode, this was why I was going to rewrite it. However, I can't so even though it's only a tiny bit of JS goodness it goes back up anyway. I am going to finish my trilogy now I've sorted out my strategy. I'm also working on a one shot and an 'after it all faded to black' for season 4. Hope you all enjoyed.


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